Beyond the Numbers: A Local Tennessee Organization’s Experience with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation
May 09, 2019
While today’s grant announcement quantifies the magnitude of impact the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has, the foundation also has an immeasurable effect on the individuals who participate in the adult, family and summer programs supported by the grants. This includes an organization close to Dollar General’s store support center in Gallatin, Tennessee: the Gallatin Shalom Zone.
The Gallatin Shalom Zone provides a community resource center where county residents may cultivate skills through a variety of programs that include a youth afterschool program, and adult basic education and English language classes. The organization describes their resource center as a place where individuals of all ages can participate in healthy activities and find encouragement for life’s challenges.
“The Dollar General Foundation has been making a difference in the lives of adults and children in our area for years. The Gallatin Shalom Zone program operates in an area where 50 percent of adults do not have a high school diploma,” said PJ Davis, executive director for the Gallatin Shalom Zone. “The Foundation is creating change for generations to come.”
One of the exciting ways that the Gallatin Shalom Zone encourages adults and children to become an active part of the Shalom Community is through engaging literacy activities.
The funds granted by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation assist the Gallatin Shalom Zone throughout the year in a multitude of ways. The organization’s AIM All Star Day Camp provides a summer enrichment program to 75 children that features sessions on literacy, team building, arts and crafts and much more. Throughout the school year, they offer an after school program to 30 children for additional mentoring and enrichment opportunities. This past year, the Gallatin Shalom Zone was also able to grow their adult literacy program with the addition of a community site that offers childcare services.
“This year, we completed genealogy charts in complete English to show the history of participant’s families,” said Davis. “At the end of the class year, each student spoke in English to share what they learned and why they liked the class.”
With the help of the funds granted by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the organization is able to continue their focus on literacy and helping individuals learn and advance their reading skills.
For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com. To learn more about the Gallatin Shalom Zone and their programs, visit http://www.gallatinshalomzone.org.
The Gallatin Shalom Zone provides a community resource center where county residents may cultivate skills through a variety of programs that include a youth afterschool program, and adult basic education and English language classes. The organization describes their resource center as a place where individuals of all ages can participate in healthy activities and find encouragement for life’s challenges.
“The Dollar General Foundation has been making a difference in the lives of adults and children in our area for years. The Gallatin Shalom Zone program operates in an area where 50 percent of adults do not have a high school diploma,” said PJ Davis, executive director for the Gallatin Shalom Zone. “The Foundation is creating change for generations to come.”
One of the exciting ways that the Gallatin Shalom Zone encourages adults and children to become an active part of the Shalom Community is through engaging literacy activities.
The funds granted by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation assist the Gallatin Shalom Zone throughout the year in a multitude of ways. The organization’s AIM All Star Day Camp provides a summer enrichment program to 75 children that features sessions on literacy, team building, arts and crafts and much more. Throughout the school year, they offer an after school program to 30 children for additional mentoring and enrichment opportunities. This past year, the Gallatin Shalom Zone was also able to grow their adult literacy program with the addition of a community site that offers childcare services.
“This year, we completed genealogy charts in complete English to show the history of participant’s families,” said Davis. “At the end of the class year, each student spoke in English to share what they learned and why they liked the class.”
With the help of the funds granted by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, the organization is able to continue their focus on literacy and helping individuals learn and advance their reading skills.
For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com. To learn more about the Gallatin Shalom Zone and their programs, visit http://www.gallatinshalomzone.org.